New Music

It's hard to know what to be more dazzled by in the music of composer Derek Bermel - the range of stylistic voices he cultivates or the profusion of ingenuity, beauty and wit he brings to everything he touches. This superb new compilation by the New York ensemble Alarm Will Sound shows off the many sides of Bermel's musical personality, from the quick-change artistry of the Latin-infused title work to the witty, restless modernism of "Natural Selection," a setting of poems by Wendy Walters. In between come an unpredictable range of modes - multilayered big-band jazz in "Three Rivers," jittery metrical experimentation in "Continental Divide," African strains in "Hot Zone" and a stretch of tender, dreamy consonance in his lush setting of Nicole Krauss' "At the End of the World." Each of these pieces on its own is enough to thrill and enthrall a listener, especially in these vibrant and forthright performances led by the ensemble's music director, Alan Pierson. Taken together, they're nothing short of magnificent.